In a pants-on-fire moment, the White House press office today denied anyone there had issued threats to remove Carla Marinucci and possibly other Hearst reporters from the press pool covering the President in the Bay Area.

Chronicle editor Ward Bushee called the press office on its fib:

Sadly, we expected the White House to respond in this manner based on our experiences yesterday. It is not a truthful response. It follows a day of off-the-record exchanges with key people in the White House communications office who told us they would remove our reporter, then threatened retaliation to Chronicle and Hearst reporters if we reported on the ban, and then recanted to say our reporter might not be removed after all.

The Chronicle's report is accurate.

If the White House has indeed decided not to ban our reporter, we would like an on-the-record notice that she will remain the San Francisco print pool reporter.

I was on some of those calls and can confirm Ward's statement.

Messy ball now firmly in White House court.

I'm beginning to think a Hillary run in 2012 against Obama is looking more and more likely.

"I'm beginning to think a Hillary run in 2012 against Obama is looking more and more likely."

Believe it. If the economy is in the tank in 2012 - there will be a Democratic call for a primary. The DNC is as loyal as Barry is. If they sense he's a loser - they'll be more than happy to entertain a primary. Just ask Carter.

Here's the critical part of Carney's weasel-worded statement, "However, no reporters have been banned..."

"...no reporters have been banned," i.e. we banned her but it blew-up in our faces so we've rescinded it, therefore no reporters are banned as of right now. Notice he never just came out and said it never happened in the first place.